The president of Blue Wood Films is Oliver W. Tuthill Jr.

When you speak to Oliver Tuthill about films invariably two names keep popping up: The late producer Val Lewton and the late director Alfred Hitchcock. That's because Tuthill believes by studying Hitchcock and Lewton he can write, direct, and produce polished looking films that will entertain, come in on budget, and pay back his investors so that they will happily invest in his next film.

"It's all about creating a product that will make a profit," Tuthill says. "My goal is to make highly entertaining stylized thrillers that will resonate strongly with my target audience while reaching out for a secondary audience as well, so the film will have better legs."

After 10 years of writing, directing, and producing educational films, and winning a slew of awards (7 Bronze Tellys, Producer of the Year 2003), including the Washington State Governor's Award in Media (2002), Tuthill is now focused on creating feature length thrillers made in the mold of Alfred Hitchcock.

"Hitchcock was a genius, and I miss seeing films made embracing his style of filmmaking, so I decided my new one in development, The Red Crucifix, will be done as a horror/thriller targeted for young women done in a style which would make Hitchcock proud."

Tuthill is currently in post production on Willatuk: The Legend of Seattle's Sea Serpent, a metaphorical tale about Northwest American Indians and their devotion to a mythical sea creature who represents to them the power of God and the importance of ecological sustainability. The film is narrated by Academy Award nominated actor Graham Greene (www.willatuk.com).

For his new horror/thriller Tuthill plans on casting name talent targeting a youth audience using an unusual storyline about an ancient seminary housing a group of folks who believe in something best left unsaid. Tuthill says the title of the film, The Red Crucifix, communicates the theme of the film and that the audience will take a rooting interest in the young sympathetic character in search of her destiny, a destiny even she is shocked to learn. Tuthill admits he will be a target for a lot of criticism but feels you can't break new ground with a film unless you step out of the box and take risks. "Many people will be shocked, even enraged, but on the positive side it might bring about a paradigm shift in how people think about religion."

Tuthill maintains he has done a lot of thinking on how Val Lewton would produce this film and believes Lewton would approve of his plan to create an ominous atmosphere, a sense of foreboding and suspense with much of the danger implied rather then shown.

"People's imagination will conjure up chills and thrills which, if set in proper context, can save investors a ton of money and deliver the goods to give the audience the thrill they are seeking when they pay to see the movie," Tuthill said.

"The film also has several subplots which can be highlighted to attract a broader audience, and the movie will transport the audience to a dangerous, magical place which will make a strong marketing position for the film. It has several strong selling points that could be used in trailers and television advertising."

Tuthill believes music helped bring out the best in Hitchcock's films and Tuthill is searching for his Bernard Hermann, the man who scored many of Hitchcock's greatest creations.

"Bernard Hermann was beyond brilliant," Tuthill said, "but Pino Donaggio has scored films by Brian DePalma that captured the brilliance of Hermann so I know it is possible. I believe there is someone out there who will collaborate with me on my films that can do what Hermann did for Hitchcock and Donaggio did for DePalma.

"Through the combination of visuals, sound, and music another world can be created which will make people forget all their problems and be in the moment. If you can take people's minds off their problems and bring them into the moment, then the rewards for that skill are almost beyond comprehension."

When asked how he would classify himself as a director Tuthill said, "I'm learning to become a visual stylist, and I admit I am still learning. I have only shot two features, but The Red Crucifix will be my first feature over a $1,000,000. Tuthill did much of the camera work on his first feature and all of it on his second. He is an award winning still photographer and videographer, and worked as a sports photo-journalist for two decades.

"I love blocking and staging with actors and finding the right framing with different lenses on a camera. I could use nothing but a 15mm lens and pivot-reversals for the whole film, but I realize it would not be practical given the fact my goal is to make a profit generating commercial vehicle which I can roll over to my next film; an erotic thriller made as homage to Hitchcock's Vertigo."

Tuthill, who has a Masters Degree in Psychology, also holds a Producer's Diploma from The Hollywood Film Institute. A member of the Northwest Film Forum, Tuthill has studied production, scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, lighting, sound design, acting and editing. Tuthill has edited most of his own movies on Apple's Final Cut Pro system. He also has written his own scores and is an award winning composer and songwriter. He worked in Hollywood as a professional actor for 10 years and is a member of SAG.

When asked how he plans to succeed where most fail Tuthill smiles and says, "I will create a haunted house experience unlike any other before mine."

A big believer in the teachings of Napoleon Hill, Tuthill often quotes him when he says, "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe he can achieve.

"Distributors and the public are always searching for good content. My job is to provide them with that, and after Willatuk is finished I will specialize in horror thrillers, political thrillers, adventure thrillers, and erotic thrillers, and I will provide a highly stylized professional looking product with great production values at a much lower cost then my competitors.

"One of the secrets of success is to find someone better than you are and then to model yourself after them. What better models than Val Lewton and Alfred Hitchcock? I am a very lucky man, and to show my appreciation I will create numerous jobs for folks in the entertainment industry and generate a good deal of revenue for people who believe in me."

"If you can take people's minds off their problems and bring them into the moment, then the rewards for that skill are almost beyond comprehension."

—Oliver W. Tuthill Jr.